Mary Louisa Roberts won the race of a lifetime—or so she thought. In competition with desperate homesteaders, ruthless land seekers, and a sheriff determined to see her fail, Mary rides out on a horse to strike her claim in the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1893. When she finally thrusts her flag into the dirt, 160 acres becomes her own. But with that claim, she risks more than she could ever imagine. A naïve school teacher and young mother abandoned by her hard-drinking, gold-seeking husband—whom she now believes to be dead—Mary is faced with letting go of a past riddled with loss, hardship, and reminders that a woman isn't capable of surviving on her own.

Daniel McKenzie, an illustrative journalist sent on assignment to document the race, has his own past to forget. Bound by a lost love and guilt from a haunting event in the streets of Boston, he wonders whether he will ever know happiness again.

Will Mary's and Daniel's stubborn and independent spirits keep them mired in the past? Or will two broken hearts find forgiveness and love in the wild plains of the Midwest?

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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jayme H. Mansfield is an author, artist, and educator--and feels a bit incomplete when she's not juggling all three balls. Her novels, Chasing the Butterfly and RUSH, have won multiple awards and continue to be book club favorites. Based on a true family story that begs to be told, RUSH provides a tension-filled, moving tale of a pioneer woman's determination to survive.

Jayme and her husband live near the base of the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains, having survived raising three hungry, hockey-playing sons. Currently, a very needy Golden Retriever runs the roost. When Jayme isn't writing, she teaches art to children and adults at her long-time art studio, Piggy Toes. Visit Jayme at jaymehmansfield.com

Top customer reviews

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I was so impressed by this wonderful historical novel! It was easy and a delight to read! There were great themes of forgiveness, trust, & courage. It is well-written and captivating! I will definitely read more of her books and I highly recommend this book to anyone!

This had everything, hurt. Pain, love, adventure. What a great storyline. Rush to get free land by a women alone, with a son to provide for, a sheriff trying to make her his, she wanting nothing to do with him. Recommended this book highly.

Once again Jamie delivers a great book! I really like historical fiction as it's a great way to learn history. The Oklahoma land rush is something I knew little about before reading this book. I fell in love with the characters and like that they're based closely on Jayme's family members. I highly recommend you go to the author's website to look at the history and people this book is based on - it's fascinating. Thank you for an informative, fun and suspenseful book!

Rush was educational, heartwarming, and a reminder that courage overcomes many set-backs. I enjoy learning about American History, and have read a few books on the development of the West. This was such an enjoyable way to learn and connect with real characters who settled and fought almost to the death for the privilege. I can tell a book is good when I think of the characters after I've read it. This is one such book. Recommended and gift for friend purchased!

This is a historical romance, with a little, suspense. There are many characters that make up this book. The main ones are a mother and her son. You will fall in love with the son as I did. I loved this book!

Historical fiction has always been my genre of choice, and I loved the weaving of Ms Mansfield’s own family history and the tales of the Oklahoma land rush to bind into an intriguing tale with well defined characters, event descriptions, and true adventure.